Combined transport in the Netherlands further improves sustainability credentials of Chocomel and Heinz Ketchup

27 May 2011

FrieslandCampina Benelux, food producer H.J. Heinz Benelux and logistics service provider Nabuurs have launched an initiative with their buyers to further increase the efficiency of their supply activities in the Netherlands. It involves combining consignments from each manufacturer to reduce transport-related emissions of CO2.

The combined initiative is part of the strategy underlying the Dutch Lean & Green Award, which the three companies won in 2010 for their plans to reduce the CO2 emissions associated with their logistical activities by 20% over a five-year period. To cut their transport-related emissions, the three companies teamed up with clients of H.J. Heinz and FrieslandCampina Benelux to investigate ways of combining their deliveries. Within this partnership, FrieslandCampina Benelux distributes the brands Chocomel, Fristi, Friesche Vlag, Appelsientje, DubbelFrisss and Extran. H.J. Heinz Benelux distributes the Heinz, Honig, Brinta, Wijko and de Ruijter brands.Fewer kilometresClients who order less than a full truck-load of goods have been supplied along these lines since mid-April 2011. This reduces the annual kilometrage driven. Combining deliveries also means reducing the overall number of deliveries that need to be made. This new loading combination cuts the number of deliveries by more than 3,000 a year, thereby helping to minimise pressure on the Dutch road transport network. The initiative is substantially reducing the number of delivery kilometres travelled, saving over 90,000 kilograms of CO2 per annum. This is equivalent to a CO2 reduction of over 5%, i.e. a quarter of the total 20% reduction target.Green vanguardIn 2010, FrieslandCampina Benelux, Heinz Benelux and Nabuurs were presented with the Lean & Green Award, recognising them as front-runners within the transport sector. The prize is awarded by Connekt’s Sustainable Logistics programme (an independent network of companies and authorities), the aim of which is to help ground-breaking companies in the logistics sector to reduce CO2 emissions in the Dutch logistics chain by at least 20% over a five-year period.